This invention relates to a connector for anchoring a first building structural member to a second building structural member. The connector works in conjunction with a separate anchor member that is received by or is attached to the second building structural member and with fasteners for attaching the connector to the first building structural member.
The present invention finds particular use in anchoring the vertical stud of a wall to a base supporting the wall, and even more particularly to anchoring a sheet metal stud that is part of wall made from cold formed steel members. State of the art connectors for this application are typically made from sheet metal. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,803, granted Jun. 15, 1993, to Jeff A. Wright; U.S. Pat. No. 7,299,593 granted Nov. 27, 2007 to diGirolamo and Torres; U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,508, granted May 19, 2009, to diGirolamo and Torres, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,387,321, granted Mar. 5, 2013 to diGirolamo, Herrman and Abdel-Rahman. These patents teach connectors that are specifically designed to help the studs in steel-framed walls resist tension forces. U.S. Pat. No. 8,516,769 also teaches a similar connector designed to resist uplift forces. While there are many recent patents in this field, the inventors have found that a connector that is capable of being mass produced and installed inexpensively should be made even stronger for this connection.
Typically, these connectors work in conjunction with a separate anchor member and attach to the side face of the first building structural member, generally a vertically disposed stud in a vertical wall. The anchor member attaches at the seat of the connector. This seat is connected to a back member, and the back member attaches to the side face of the stud or post. In some of the prior art connectors, there are one or more side member to increase the strength of the connector or to connect the seat member to the back member.
The holdown connector of the present invention improves upon the prior art by providing a holdown that withstands very high tension loads with minimal deflection, while being economical to produce.